Promethean Myth
Discuss the relationship between Prometheus and Faustus, paying particular attention to the use of cultural myth.
The beautiful fables of the Greeks, being proper creations of the imagination and not of the fancy, are universal verities. What a range of meanings and what perpetual pertinence has the story of Prometheus. Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The influence and legacy of the Promethean myth can be traced through history. From Hesiod to Shakespeare, Marlowe to the Coen Brothers, the Promethean motif has been reused and recycled until it holds a distinctly familiar, yet strangely obscure grip on the imagination. What is the reality behind this myth and how does our own contemporary reality compare with a three thousand year old Greek fable? One aspect that we can relate to is the impotence of Prometheus. This is highlighted in Marlowe’s Dr Faustus; this impotence is inextricably linked with the conflict between the representatives of man (Prometheus and Faustus) against a superior power. To explore these links, it is first prudent to trace the history and influence of the Promethean myth.
The history of this recognised cultural myth is difficult to ascertain, certainly Aeschylus loosely based his play on Hesiod’s two poems Theogony and The works and Days, but where can the origin of such a fable be found? History tells us that the early civilisations made sacrifices to their various “Gods”; an animal would be butchered, the fat, bones and entrails would be wholly burnt and the smoke would ascend heavenward. The meat could then be eaten thus ensuring no waste. Hesiod’s version of the myth about Prometheus’s and Zeus’s choice seems to have been composed to explain why people didn’t have to burn the parts that were good to eat (an etiologic myth). This is just one example, however, of the fire creation story which can be traced throughout many early global cultures, from Norse to Aboriginal: witness Krishna’s claims that “Brahma is the bringer of light for rebirth” in Indian mythology. James Frazer gives many examples about the original theft of fire from a wide variety of cultures in his essay .
There is no doubt that the Promethean tradition has become an everyday aspect of literary and artistic society: Shakespearean lines such as “Women’s eyes are the source of true Promethean fire” to “And faster bound to Aaron’s charming eyes, than is Prometheus tied to the Caucaus” 4 illustrate this, (Nietzsche also argues that Hamlet is a Dionysiac Promethean hero)5 .
Whether atop the baffling Mount Olympus or below in the blank slate of a city being Ingolstadt, a mythological god and a man seek power on their trek to greatness. Both Zeus of the Greek gods in “The Story of Prometheus” and the simple man Victor Frankenstein of the literature work Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, can be viewed as leaders who lost their purpose in their quest for power. Victor possesses more morality in his actions, while Zeus rules with an iron fist and does not care what happens to the ones around him. To understand the beneficial traits and flaws of these characters, one must delve into the stories of their lives. These characters throughout literature show signs of great potential, but also of substantial corruption. Disregarding the feelings of others, along with a
Prometheus Bound is quite different from other tragedies in that it is peopled entirely by gods. The play focuses on the story of Prometheus, and we have versions of this myth in Hesiod's famous works. There is reason to think that the author of Prometheus Bound was not only acquainted with Hesiod's version but actually drew on Hesiod directly in this play. This essay therefore aims to establish in what ways the author of Prometheus Bound seems to have drawn from Hesiod's version of myth, in what ways he has diverged from it, and what reasons he might have had for making these changes and innovations. This might therefore highlight any particular emphasis or purpose of Prometheus Bound and what its author might have been trying to get across. Though there is not space in this essay to discuss the problems of attributing this play, it must be recognised that this ambiguity of authorship and dating makes it even more difficult than usual to look at views and purposes behind the play.
Both Percy and Mary Shelley had written a different interpretation of the Prometheus myth; with Percy’s Prometheus Unbound and Mary’s Frankenstein. Both of these works had examples that showed how the characters projected themselves into other beings. It could be interpreted that Mary had the intention to criticize the way a strong feeling of wishing something that is beyond the laws of the natural world to happen is without regard for the consequences that could occur as a result. These outcomes cannot be planned or controlled. Despite the outward appearance or aspect of the emphases on knowledge and creation—traits that are often considered virtues—Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Percy Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound revealed the ways in which humans, in their desire for these virtues, can triumph over the unpredictability of nature. The visually descriptive and figurative language that each author utilized helped to show the advantage of the power of narrative as a means of expressing the characters’ egos which drove them to overreach for the dominance over nature and relate to real people.
Death is the end to the natural cycle of life and is represented as dark, melancholic and even menacing. The underworld is depicted as a murky and sinister realm where the dead are trapped in a world of eternal darkness. Ancient drama, however, defies the conventional perceptions and representations of death. Despite the foreboding associated with it, characters in ancient drama embrace death in its frightening glory, rather than face the repercussions of their actions, especially when their honor and pride are at stake. Deceit is also an integral part of ancient drama and characters, particularly women, fall prey to it and unwittingly unleash chaos that more often that, negatively impacts the lives of the characters. This paper demonstrates how gender biases can be interpreted from the depiction of death and the characters’ justifications of it in two of Sophocles’ plays – Ajax and Women of Trachis and also demonstrates how female deception leads to the death of the principal character(s).
Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound portrays a greek god detained by a superior for disobedience against the latter’s rule. On the other hand in Euripides’ Hippolytus portrays lust and vengeance of the gods and the extent that they can go to to avenge it.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992
It is in our human nature to generate new ideas, explore new possibilities and even push the boundaries of science in an attempt to make new discoveries. Prometheus, the creator of humanity is most well known for stealing fire from Zeus in order to help humans develop into a more intellectually advanced society. Prometheus loved humans so much that he was willing to suffer eternally so that they could have a better life on Earth. This shows that Prometheus was morally just in his decision to disobey Zeus because he only wanted to help the human race in their evolution into a more stable and advanced society. In my opinion, the main theme in the Prometheus myth is that scientific progress and discovery are good as long as the intentions behind
Prometheus, a Greek god, is the son of Iapetus and Themis. He was a guardian and protector of humanity, and he is greatly known for his superior intelligence. He stole fire from the Greek god Zeus and gave it to the mortals. This mistake caused the heroine Prometheus to suffer greatly. Zeus punished him for his offense and bound Prometheus to a rock, and each day an eagle came and ate out his liver. Prometheus is both credited with and blamed for playing a gigantic role in the early makings of human kind. Prometheus stole the fire from Zeus in order to help the mortals because he had befriended them and took pity upon them. At that time, the humans were in desperate need of help and Prometheus wanted to see them reach their full potential instead of dying off. Prometheus stole the fire and showed the humans how to use it because he was a very compassionate man and wanted to help. Prometheus is seen as a gentle titan whereas Zeus is seen as a dark god. Prometheus was acting on what the future held because he had the gift of foresight. He knew that humans would need help in order to survive, and he was the titan that brought help in the form of fire. Prometheus represented a man “playing God,” as did Victor Frankenstein. Both u...
Promethean idealism is centered on the Greek god Prometheus who defied the other gods and gave humanity the gift of fire so that they could progress into advanced race. Those who follow this principal believe that life is of ultimate value and should be lived with the highest standard possible; therefore, the Prometheans push the boundaries to science and technology to move forward and advance the standards of life (SP1a). Dr. Frankenstein mirrors this belief as he ventured out away from society to push the limits of science and “renew life” for the first time (Shelly 58). His aspirations to advance forward in his field and reach to new heights where no one has gone before, mirror natural human desires and link him to humanity and humanistic actions. Dr. Frankenstein embarked on him journey i...
According to Harriet Hustis in her essay “Responsible Creativity and the ‘Modernity’ of Mary Shelley’s Prometheus,” many themes circulate throughout the text, including responsible creativity, parental guidance, and compassion, but all are centered on individuality, especially in reference to inter-character relationships. The creature, upon which much controversy is based, is continuously searching for guidance and societal acceptance, thus implying that the heart of human consciousness and the human identity is compassion (Asquith). The candor of this statement however, is heavily reliant on the world views and values of the characters in question. Subsequently, these values and world views shape and define the individual’s identity, ultimately granting them a niche in society.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, Walter James Miller, and Harold Bloom. Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. New York: New American Library, 2000. Print.
Kostić, Milena. "The Faustian Motif in Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus." Facta Universititas 7.2 (2009): 209-22. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
In this essay the critical approach on (Mythological and Archetypal Approach) played a big role in forming my opinion of the signet classic book, "Doctor Faustus" It is to my knowledge that mythology does not meet our current standards of factual reality, but unlike the 16th century which this play was presented, men like Faustus saw myth as fundamental and a dramatic representation of the deepest instinctual life in the universe.
The creation of man was only through the will of the gods. As a result of the war between the Titans and Zeus, Hesiod, a prominent writer of the seventh century, catalogues the origins of divine beings and mankind through a history of the events in his poem Theogony.
Doctor Faustus, also referred to as The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus is a play by Christopher Marlowe. This play is based on a German story where a man sells his soul to the devil in quest for knowledge and power (Sales 340. The protagonist in this play is Doctor Faustus. Doctor Faustus was hungry of power and knowledge and in search for them; he sold his soul to the devil. At first, he was very happy with the praise he received from the people as they considered him a hero. Later on, Faustus learns that he committed a grave mistake of selling his soul to the devil for twenty-four years. Even though he felt remorseful for his mistakes, it was already late for him. He is later found by his fellow scholars dead and torn from limb to limb. Faustus was a heroic fool who only thought of power and never thought of eternal damnation.